Stuggling With For Purpose In ED

[neXib]

Some people want to be handheld from start to finish, but if you start up this game you'll find out within 10 minutes that this isn't it. There's a harsh learning curve. I'm sure there's players that have been playing for 10 hours and have no idea what a fuel scoop is for instance. Like others have mentioned, the fact that you aren't enjoying it doesn't really mean anything for those of us that do, because Frontier made the game in their vision, and that's the vision I wanted to see apparently. We don't want them to change that, I want them to stay true, be AC/DC, not Metallica

When I play this game, especially in the rift but on monitor too, I am imagining going to these places. We'll never even see the sun this close, humanity may never reach further than Mars, this is the closest I'll get to explore our sky. I think both bounty hunting, trading and exploring is fun in their own right. All because the base mechanics just feel so great and are so polished. The game will improve, but I don't think there's coming a "Strike Commander" storyline anytime soon.

I have been playing quite a few hours now, I still see new stars, new planets. What kind of playtime are people expecting nowadays? A game is 40-50 bucks, many good story driven games last 10 hours. Unless they put in huge "pick up this and that" grinds like Assassins Creed. Anyone would get 30-40 hours out of Elite at a minimum, I'm sure I'll get a lot more.

 

[Avago Earo]

AC/DC, Metallica...? What?

 

[philux]

Some people want to be handheld from start to finish, but if you start up this game you'll find out within 10 minutes that this isn't it. There's a harsh learning curve. I'm sure there's players that have been playing for 10 hours and have no idea what a fuel scoop is for instance. Like others have mentioned, the fact that you aren't enjoying it doesn't really mean anything for those of us that do, because Frontier made the game in their vision, and that's the vision I wanted to see apparently. We don't want them to change that, I want them to stay true, be AC/DC, not Metallica

When I play this game, especially in the rift but on monitor too, I am imagining going to these places. We'll never even see the sun this close, humanity may never reach further than Mars, this is the closest I'll get to explore our sky. I think both bounty hunting, trading and exploring is fun in their own right. All because the base mechanics just feel so great and are so polished. The game will improve, but I don't think there's coming a "Strike Commander" storyline anytime soon.

I have been playing quite a few hours now, I still see new stars, new planets. What kind of playtime are people expecting nowadays? A game is 40-50 bucks, many good story driven games last 10 hours. Unless they put in huge "pick up this and that" grinds like Assassins Creed. Anyone would get 30-40 hours out of Elite at a minimum, I'm sure I'll get a lot more.

It's not about learning curve or difficulty. Every combat flight sim needs 10 time more multi-tasking skills, background knowledge and quick analytical thinking than ED. That is, it's quite the opposite: the flying and other activities in ED offer way too little depth to be interesting to study and master long term.

 

[Muthax]

When I did my first scoop, I almost crashed in the sun and died. Came in too fast, thinking I knew how to do it, waited too long to pull out bang, normal speed close to the sun, like the guy in the RPS review. Everything red and blaring couldn't even see well the instruments, managed to get some distance by watching mostly the thermoter lol.

At last I could SC away but it took a couple of tries and I was already thinking "That's it! Self destruct and restart" but I got lucky.
Then I tried a second scoop and by the third I was doing it the right way

I hadn't had so much fun and involvment in what was happening to my alter ego in a videogame since a loooong time

 

[Sargon]

I truly believe that two of the innate issues that arise when dealing with such a gigantic playing field are:

1) The sensation that regardless of where you go, it all pretty much looks the same.

2) The feeling that no matter what you do, you're not really affecting the galaxy in the slightest.

Me I don't mind this, I'm happy with just exploring, trading and bettering my ship. My question is, just how long will this absolute freedom last without getting the feeling that I'm not doing anything productive for anyone else or any faction or system. Now I have a terrific imagination, but content will be key to keeping that imagination fueled.

 

[atlas974]

Every combat flight sim needs 10 time more multi-tasking skills, background knowledge and quick analytical thinking than ED.

I don't agree at all! We're talking space combat sim here and i guess you're refering to stratospheric combat sim. Apples and oranges....

 

[OldSalt]

I got to a similar point in gamma and the best thing to do is step back and leave it for a while. I am having more fun with the game now than when I did coming into premium beta although I am certain that the development was sharply focused on a stable and workable build. I am reckoning it will be like past 'old friends' like IL2, RoF and others in that given time ED will be barely recognisable from what it is today.

 

[Krighten]

I'd say I'm about 30 hours in (or a little more) and I've accomplished NOTHING and it's fantastic!
1. Learned flight mechanics.
2. I've amassed about 60k
3. Upgraded a Eagle
4. Flew out to Alliance space, while learning to fuel scoop and gathering data.
5. I'm working on serving the Alliance and getting into Alioth, where I'll call home. Also learning bounty hunting mechanics.

This is my, albeit boring, personal story - but it's mine, and I'm loving it. I don't see myself stopping playing anytime soon if FD takes the proper steps forward. I played 20 hours before I even tried combat.
God knows how long it'll be before I touch PVP.

If FD introduces more grouping mechanics, and activities to do with other Alliance pilots, I'll never be bored. (Btw, I know some people may disagree, but a player faction system (or a guild, ) would be fantastic).

 

[Chaodiurn]

I also think that this is a very reasonable thread. While it openly is said that E carries influences from Freelancer, I think this is the exact spot where they made the wrong decision, namely against what's been there. Freelancer had an offline *cough* mode, where you had a scripted storyline along with some open play. On the other side was the open, storyline-less multiplayer, where people could come together, doing whatever they wanted. There were clan systems, a more or less proper chat system, grouping functions. Multiplayer lived by being multiplayer. Even when you were alone, you always felt that you were in a vibrant, lively universe. There were always other players, occasionally even constant pirating a route, forcing you somewhere else. You just went somewhere else. This vibrant feeling, that I think E is at the moment lacking given missing multiplayer mechanics, gave then birth to the motivation that kept you going. If you weren't just flying a mini-game while chatting with old fellows, you were earning credits for the clan, fighting up your rank in the scoreboard, explored the universe to later do the other things better, or just went PvP for the sake of it. GalNet delivers somehow story and background, but it's too thin to work on its own. There are plenty options where I see potential for improvement, to make this universe more vibrant, the own actions more valuable. Of course, adding a SP-campaign isn't really a doable thing, so fixing it for solo-players indeed is quite a problem. Right now I believe the game to be in a limbo between SP and MP, and I don't think it's good to not choose a side on this subject. Doing both equally good then would be a long-time goal.

Using space while replying on a forum, how ludicrous.

 

[Macgyver]

It's just a time sink of time sinks... Gets boring real fast.

Chip away on bounties for 12k to 30K on Vipers and Asps, 430Mil for a Lakon9 .... Right that will never happen.
So slow... Most of the time enemy just FSD away and leaves you with a repair bill
NPC should not FSD... There is no point and all it does is upset people especially when it happens 6 times in a row like it has for me.
all the time spent finding a wanted, setting up th intradiction, dog fighting sometimes for 10 minutes or more to only hear.. "Friendship drive detected " well ED I've had enough. No casual player can tolerate this ?

 

[X2Eliah]

Like Sorbago?

To be frank, the Sorbago thing has exactly 0 influence on me, because I never visit Sorbago. Only thing I feel about it are the galnet articles, both otherwise? No impact that I can see. No change in the local mission types, no increased security presence, no increased police interdictions, no explicit resource shortage due to war.. Even no change in imperial slave trades, even when thats what the conflict in Sorbago is supposed to be about.
It seems that this game does *not* do far-reaching conflict well; there is no mechanic to allow the war in Sorbago to spill out in other systems, or influence anything more than 5ly away.

 

[Missfire]

I had quite a thrilling experience today. I had found an assassination mission in the station I had been docked at and decided to take it. "I could do this, no problem" I thought, sitting in my Cobra with just 2 C3 gimballed Pulse Lasers, upgraded thrusters, and 9 shield bank cells. My target was Chris Graham, and word was he was hanging around Cemiess and Vequess. I dropped in and out of USS's looking for clues. I came across a funeral ship and it's escorts. I used this seemingly rare opportunity to get up close and personal with a Lakon Type-9. I matched speeds best I could and got right up to it's belly. I stared up at it and took in the details, almost getting melted by the thrusters when I fell behind. Deciding I had better things to do, I carried on looking for the specific whereabouts of Chris Graham. A few minutes later I finally found one. "I barely made it out alive!" he said. "Let's just say I won't be going back to Vequess anytime soon." Bingo. I jumped to Vequess and swiftly found my target. Wish I had listened to what the guy said previously. I began firing my lasers at the Anaconda, doing little to it's shields. It's turreted beam lasers making quick work of my first layer shields. One shield battery down and my shields were full again. The Anaconda's shields were weakening, I just might stand a chance. Another shield battery, shields full yet again. The Anaconda's hull was almost exposed, just a little more to go. Then suddenly, a glob of plasma melted my shields. I knew I had get out of there. With my exposed hull melting under the beam lasers, I swapped my weapon to engines and shields, and boosted away. "Hull integrity critical" the computer said in it's calm yet penetrating voice. "Cab integrity compromised." It seemed I was doomed. I only had 5k in credits and definitely wouldn't be buying this ship back. I stared as the FSD charging bar seemed to fill in slow motion, the Anaconda was too close. Then, as if a gift from the gods, the Anaconda got distracted by a police force that jumped in. I managed to escape with 24% hull. 2 more seconds and I would have been staring at Treschev Port back in Aibako in a Sidewinder. I enjoy just doing hauling missions and this was just a bonus, even though it set me back 4 hours and 11,000 credits. I like the idea of being able to change the control of systems and influence the galaxy. I'm currently trying to convert Jotunheim from Independent to Empire, though it's a little difficult when there are few missions from the only Empire aligned faction in the system. My point is, there are lot's of thrilling experiences and beautiful sights out there, you just have to find them yourself. How are you supposed to forge your own story when the events have been preset?

 

[darkcyd]

Some people want to be handheld from start to finish, but if you start up this game you'll find out within 10 minutes that this isn't it. There's a harsh learning curve. I'm sure there's players that have been playing for 10 hours and have no idea what a fuel scoop is for instance. Like others have mentioned, the fact that you aren't enjoying it doesn't really mean anything for those of us that do, because Frontier made the game in their vision, and that's the vision I wanted to see apparently. We don't want them to change that, I want them to stay true, be AC/DC, not Metallica

When I play this game, especially in the rift but on monitor too, I am imagining going to these places. We'll never even see the sun this close, humanity may never reach further than Mars, this is the closest I'll get to explore our sky. I think both bounty hunting, trading and exploring is fun in their own right. All because the base mechanics just feel so great and are so polished. The game will improve, but I don't think there's coming a "Strike Commander" storyline anytime soon.

I have been playing quite a few hours now, I still see new stars, new planets. What kind of playtime are people expecting nowadays? A game is 40-50 bucks, many good story driven games last 10 hours. Unless they put in huge "pick up this and that" grinds like Assassins Creed. Anyone would get 30-40 hours out of Elite at a minimum, I'm sure I'll get a lot more.

And I think therein lies the problem. I am a very sympathetic person. I want you to have a good game and would be upset if you were having a bad time due to my own wants...or some part of me would. Some part of me would want my enjoyment of video game to bridge as many people together as possible who enjoy playing them. I think if I were producing a game, I would want one which could be said was fun and touched as many people as possible.

This game is built exclusive. And that is okay too. If you are happy to build and play the game for an extremely small player base of 35-50 somethings who played the original, I think you accomplished that. Vision successful.

Harsh learning curve? This game is not. I played the original and knew exactly what I was doing immediately. Perhaps a new player would take more time. But all I needed to know was how to map buttons from the setup. For everything else there is a web search.

But to get to your point more directly....when you use terms like hand holding and harsh learning curve which are abstract opinions...you are dodging I think the real true reason for making the game what it is. And that I think is to make it so foreign and unpleasant for a younger generation than almost no one but those who played the original could stomach such a throw back in environment. Decisions like the lack of chat and so obviously intended to weed out anyone outside our age group that it the game might as well never be sold to anyone under 35.

Again, don't get me wrong, I don't judge. I just call a spade a spade and that is how I see Elites development. Its unfortunate another generation will never get to experience that by this game being a bridge but instead is a wall for the older "exclusive" founders club gamers where admission is so very exclusive.

 

[Miimis Maks]

I wish bounty hunting was more deep than just jumping into random signals and grinding in nav beacon.

 

[atlas974]

I wish bounty hunting was more deep than just jumping into random signals and grinding in nav beacon.

It has ! Try to hunt the top 5 player bounty of the station board for exemple

 

[Enride]

I never thought I'd feel this but CR is probably rubbing his hands together even more now because he knows he's just snapped up the average player to his cause, Elite Dangerous is so niche with the game being this way.

If you didnt know it, most of the "average players" already turn more towards SC then ED.
Personally, im one of the only truly smart people who will play and enjoy both these titles

 

[Naruchico]

Lemme sum up this post in the fastest way possible.

"I am sick of playing with Excel datasheets and would like the game to actually react to me instead of show me pretty numbers"

there, that is the problem, we have a datasheet and very little game.

 

[grofit]

Best Space Truck Simulator 11/10

 

[Shakespeare]

I like reading people's personal narratives. I'd gladly read more from several of those who post their stories on here. But I think that for the time investment required to derive them from play... well...

I could play a boardgame to stimulate my imagination. Could try Galaxy Trucker. Multiplayer, fully offline, and in half an hour or an hour I'd have a story just as full of pirates and asteroids, narrow escapes, abject failures, and heroic deeds, as I would in 10 hours playing Elite, with the advantage of there being no down time, no waiting, no tedious faux "simulation" to get in the way.

Or I could read a novel: Stephen Donaldson's "Gap" series, or Ken MacLeod's "Fall Revolution", and see grand space operatics played out on a lavish scale, full of surprises, ambiguity, drama and invention. I think I was hoping that Elite would make me a protagonist in stories equivalently involved, charged with political ramifications and satire, with all the traditional imaginative thrills of science fiction.

But Elite is just not that rewarding, not that thrilling. It's bureaucratic, leaden, somehow not only earth-bound but narrow-minded and provincial. It comes up significantly short of other ways of stimulating imaginative engagement and it's a weakly drawn science fiction, with little of the risk and urgency which has made the best sci fi of the last 30 years or so great, whatever the medium. The more critically I think about it, actually, the less well Elite seems to stand up -- I'd kinda hoped it would be the other way round.

 

[amigacooke]

To me Elite is the perfect 'drop in' game. Maybe an hour a day, a trade run, a skirmish, a bit of tourism.

When I was younger, I'd play games for hours at a time and wonder why they started to feel stale and repetitive. If you think about it, it's not too difficult to work out why.